elixir \eh-LIK-sehr\ (noun) - 1 : Like the philosopher's stone, a substance believed to have the power to change base metal into gold; 2 : a magic potion with a miraculous curative or restorative effect, sometimes believed to prolong life indefinitely; 3 : a sweetened, flavored base for medicines.

treacle \TREE-kehl\ (noun) - 1 : Syrup, especially from the first pressing of sugar cane but also the molasses left over after the sugar crystals are removed; 2 : sugar-coating, cloying sentiment, sweetness of speech, especially insincere compliments.

From BookDaily.com

Rory Anderson, an epic-nerd on an ordinary science field trip, is pulled
through a portal into Zed, a place outside of time. His perception of
reality shifts, and the King of the Fountain of Life commissions him as
an ambassador to Petla, a place in another galaxy. He arrives wearing
the ...

penumbra \peh-NEHM-breh\ (noun) - 1 : A partial shadow, especially when appearing between a complete shadow and bright light, as you might see on the moon's surface during an eclipse; 2 : a surrounding area in which something is weaker, attenuated, or exists to a reduced degree.

"Courtney is a shady lady who has worked in the penumbra of ...Read more

quicksand \KWIK-saend\ (noun) - 1 : A bed of dense, sticky sand or mud that clings to objects that fall into it, making escape difficult; 2 : a situation in which attempts to escape only make matters worse.

"The contract negotiations turned into quicksand as, the more we talked, the worse our position became."

prosopopeia \preh-so-peh-PEE-eh\ (noun) - 1 : A rhetorical figure by which an imaginary or absent person is represented as speaking or acting; the introduction of a pretended speaker; 2 : personification (a rhetorical figure in which human traits are given to a non-human object).

"We are awash in a veritable sea of prosopopeia such as; '...Read more

fiduciary \feh-DU-shi-e-ri\ (adjective) - 1 : Holding or overseeing something in trust. 2 : Of or related to a trust, trustee or trusteeship, as a fiduciary relationship to a minor or a fiduciary institution that manages financial assets. 3 : Depending on public trust or securities for its value, as a fiduciary issue of currency.

Q. Has the adverb "really" completely disappeared from usage? I hear sentences such as: "The shoes are real tight"; "The clerk was real nice"; "It was a real good movie." -- Robert Derosier, West Hartford, Conn.

A. Darn! Thanks to your question, now I can't get the lyrics from a song in the musical "Carousel" out of my head: "This was a real ...Read more